Spring-motor.



H. W. WACHTELHAUSEN.

SPRING MOTOR.

APPLICATION HLED MAYH. I915.

1,159,437. Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

fiW. 47b

COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH cc.. WASHINGTON, n. c.

HENRY W. NACHTELHAUSEN,

anion.

OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE PARKER SPRING-MOTOR.

Application filed May 14 1915.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY W. lVAoH'rnL- HAUSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Motors, of which the following is a specification. i i

This invention relates to spring motors. It is conceivable that some or all of the features of the invention can be embodied with equal advantage in other devices.

The invention has as one of its objects the provision of means bywhich a motion transferring member can be operated in one direction totension the spring of the motor but which can be freelv operated in the other direction without affecting said spring, so that when the motor constitutes a part of a wheeled toy, the spring of the motor can be wound to drive the toy whereas the toy can be pulled along without having any effect upon the spring which is a feature of importance as thereby there is no strain upon the spring or any tendency to displace it when the toy is being pulled by a child instead of being operated by the motor.

Another feature of the invention resides in an inexpensive and simple frame which incloses the motor and certain of the other parts, while still another point is in a very convenient wayof connecting one end of the spring with the frame. The invention possesses other features of novelty and usefulness, which with the foregoing will be stated at length in the following description, wherein I will set forth in detail that one of the several convenient forms of embodiment of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. I do not restrict myself to this disclosure; I may depart therefrom in several respects within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description. 7

Referring to said drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view partly in section of a spring motor involving my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation withthe face plate of the frame removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ternally corrugated as Patented Nov. 9, 1915. Serial No. 27,988.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The framing shown for carrying the different parts comprises a back plate 2 and a face plate 3, said back plate being illustrated as having inwardly projecting flanges 4: and 5 at its ends against the free edges of which the face plate 3 fits, said flanges having lugs 6 on their edges extending through slots 7 in the face plate and bent over the outer side of said face plate to hold the latter firmly and securelyin position. Between the two plates 2 and'8 is disposed the tie member 8 of plate form, the reduced terminals 9 of which extend through slots in the two plates and which are headed against the outside surfaces of said plates. The ends of the body of the tie member or plate 8 fit solidly and substantially against the side plates 2 and 3. The tie member in addition to aiding in strengthening the casing-like frame serves as a desirable means for the connection with the outer end of a spring as 10. Said spring is coiled around the main shaft or arbor 11, one end being suitably fastened to said main shaft and the other or outer end having a slot 12 to receive the lateral projecting lug 13 of the tie member 8 which latter as will be obvious serves a double function. The main shaft or arbor 11 is supported by the side plates 2 and 3, the latter having openings or perforations to receive said shaft, one end of the shaft being extended and threaded as at 14: to receive the key 15 by which said main shaft or arbor 11 can be turned to wind or tension the main spring 10.

Rotative with the main arbor or shaft 11 is the ratchet wheel 16, the latter being internally corrugated and the shaft being eX- at 17, the projecting portions of the corrugated part 17 extending between the grooves of the corrugations in the ratchet wheel, this presenting a convenient way of rotatively connecting the arbor l1 and ratchet wheel 16. The ratchet wheel has an elongated inwardly extending hub 18 which receives for rotation a driving or power transferring member such as the spur gear 19. Surrounding the inner end of the hub 18 is the friction disk 20, the marginal portion of which has a bearing against the inner surface of the spur gear 19, the

disk being located in the space between the spur gear and the main spring 10. This friction disk 20 rotates with the ratchet wheel 16, and this result may be secured by staking or riveting the inner end of the hub over the central portion of the disk 20 as at 21. Pivoted upon the outer face of the spur gear 19 is the pawl 22 held constantly against the toothed. portion of the ratchet wheel 16 by the spring 23. Supported by the opposite side plates 2 and 3 and projecting outwardly therefrom is the shaft 2 1, the outer projecting ends of which may be provided with wheels as 25'i'otative with' said shaft or axle 2%. Located between the side members or. plates'2 and 3 of the framing is the pinion 26 fastened to said shaft 2 1 and in mesh with the spur gear 27 which with the pinion 28 is carried by a shaft 29 supported by and between the plates 2 and 3. This pinion 28 meshes with a spur gear 3(lwhich with the pinion 31 is fastened to the shaft 32 also supported by and between said plates 2 and 3. The pinion 31 is in mesh with the spur gear or main driver 19.

If the key 15 be manipulated to turn the shaft or arbor 11 in the direction of the arrow applied for convenience to the spur gear 19 in Fig. 2, the spring 10 will be tensioned,

the key 15 being rotated until the requisite tension has been obtained and the pawl pre- Fig. 2.

venting accidental backward movement, while the spring is being tensioned. It is customary in toys to wind the spring ,10 when the toy is off the floor. When the spring is wound the wheels are placed on the floor and the key 1.5 freed. When this takes place with the toy shown, the spring 10 will unwind and will turn the shaft 11 in a direction opposite to that in which said shaft is turned when the spring is being wound. The consequence will be that the rotating ratchet wheel acting against the pawl'22 will rotate the spur wheel 19 in a direction opposite to the arrow applied thereto, so that with the wheels 25 on the ground the toy will be propelled in the direction of the arrow at the right thereof in As the main arbor or shaft 11 is turned under the action of the key 15, the spur gear 19 does not turn, it being as will be remembered, loosely supported by the hub 18. It will be assumed that the spring has run down and that a child pulls the toy in the direction of the arrow in said Fig. 2. In this event the interposed train of gears in the casing-like frame all turn as does the spur gear 19, the latter rotating in a direction opposite to the arrow applied thereto WVhat I claim is:

- 1. The combination of a main shaft, a

spring surrounding and connected with the main shaft, a ratchet wheel fastened to said main shaft, a power transferring member rotative with respect to the main shaft, a

pawl cooperative with the ratchet and mounted upon said power transferring member, friction means between the power transferring member and the shaft, and a wheeled axle operatively connected with said power transferring member.

2. The combination of a main shaft, a

coiled spring surrounding and connected with the main shaft, a ratchet wheel rotative with said main shaft and having an elongated hub, a power transferring member loose on said hub, a disk-carried by said hub rotative therewith and having a friction disk bearing against said power transferring member, a pawl pivoted on the power transferring member, and an axleroperatively connected with, said shaft.

3. The combination of a main shaft, a spring surrounding and connected with said main shaft, a ratchet wheel rotative with said main shaft and having an elongated.

hub, a spur gear loose on said hub,fa friction disk between the spur gear and the spring,. fitted on said hub, the hub being riveted over the disk to connect the disk with the hub forrotation therewith, a pawl ontlie spur gear for rotating said ratchet wheel, an axle, and operative connections between said axle and said main shaft.

4. A frame comprising side plates and a tie memberconnecting said side plates between the ends thereof, a shaft supported by and between the side plates, a spring surrounding the' shaft, one end 0f the spring being connected with the shaft and the other end having a slot, said tie member being provided with a lug extending through said slot, and an axle supported by said side plates and operatively connected with said shaft. 7

In testimonywhereof I afiix my signature in presence-of two witnesses.

HENRY 1V. i/VACHTELHAUSEN.

Witnesses WVM. R. BAUNISTER, JAMES R. SLOANE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, 1). C. 

